CVE-2026-42496: \ — Fix

Description

Archive::Tar versions before 3.08 for Perl extract symlinks with attacker controlled targets outside the extraction directory. _make_special_file() passes the tar header's linkname to symlink() without validating it against absolute paths or .. segments. The secure-extract mode check that guards regular file extraction does not cover the symlink target. A subsequent open through the extracted name reads or writes the attacker chosen path.

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CVSS v3.1 Score

9.1

CRITICAL

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N

EPSS — Exploit Prediction

0.0047

Probability of exploitation

0.37%

Percentile rank

EPSS estimates the probability that this vulnerability will be exploited in the wild within the next 30 days. A higher score means more likely to be exploited.

Weakness Type (CWE)

CWE-59 CWE-59

Affected Products

Vendor	Product	Versions
archive\	\	< 3.08

References

Advisories & Patches

https://github.com/jib/archive-tar-new/commit/17c873492a05eddc0de18c1485e0b2cccd5a9158.patch

Other References

https://metacpan.org/release/BINGOS/Archive-Tar-3.08/changes https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-42497

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-42496? +

Archive::Tar versions before 3.08 for Perl extract symlinks with attacker controlled targets outside the extraction directory. _make_special_file() passes the tar header's linkname to symlink() without validating it against absolute paths or .. segments. The secure-extract mode check that guards regular file extraction does not cover the symlink target. A subsequent open through the extracted name reads or writes the attacker chosen path. It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.1 (CRITICAL).

How severe is CVE-2026-42496? +

CVE-2026-42496 has a CVSS v3.1 score of 9.1 out of 10, rated CRITICAL. This is a critical vulnerability that should be patched immediately. The EPSS score is 0.0047, placing it in the 0th percentile for exploitation probability.

What products are affected by CVE-2026-42496? +

CVE-2026-42496 affects products from archive\, specifically: \. Check the affected products table above for specific version ranges.

How do I check if I'm vulnerable to CVE-2026-42496? +

You can use Secably's free Website Scanner to check your website for known vulnerabilities. For infrastructure scanning, use the Port Scanner to identify exposed services that may be affected. Check the vendor advisories linked above for specific patch and version information.

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